Democratic socialist Francesca Hong leads Wisconsin governor primary amid intra-party split
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State Assemblywoman Francesca Hong, a self-identified democratic socialist, is the front-runner in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary, while rival candidates have withdrawn and Republicans target her record.
State Assemblywoman Francesca Hong, a 37-year-old from Madison who identifies as a democratic socialist, has emerged as the clear front-runner in Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor, scheduled for Aug. 11. Polls from late July show her with about 38% support among Democratic voters, far ahead of former lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who re-entered the race after an earlier withdrawal.
Hong's opponents have exited the contest in recent weeks. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez left the race amid a campaign-finance controversy, and Barnes announced his withdrawal on Thursday. Party leaders have attempted to coalesce around the more moderate Crowley, who received Governor Tony Evers’ endorsement, but his support remains well behind Hong’s.
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the likely general-election opponent, has begun attacking Hong by linking her to the Democratic Socialists of America platform and citing past statements on police defunding and other issues. Hong has said she does not endorse the national DSA platform and emphasized that a governor cannot defund the police, while also noting that Republican-controlled legislators have cut local police funding.
"Wisconsin is the quintessential swing state, but it’s also a very polarized state," said Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson, who backs Crowley. "This is going to be a new chapter in a political science theory book: how do far left-wing and far right-wing candidates build a coalition and win elections."
Supporters argue Hong’s campaign expands the Democratic coalition by mobilizing voters who feel excluded from the party establishment. State Sen. Chris Larson said she has brought new voters into the party and represents a different approach to politics.
The primary occurs as Democrats seek to gain full control of Wisconsin’s state government for the first time in a generation, hoping to retain the governor’s office and flip both legislative chambers. A Marquette Law School poll indicated Hong’s strongest backing comes from younger and more liberal voters, while her rivals performed better among older and more moderate constituencies.
In a recent interview, Hong described herself as a single mother and service-industry worker who supports legislation that benefits a broad range of Wisconsinites, and she dismissed calls to eliminate the U.S. Senate as "nonsensical and nonpractical at this time."